Answers submitted by Editor Michael Warren.

Tell us about Newsport. How was it founded?
Newsport was established in 2007 and born out of necessity to inform, engage and entertain residents of the Douglas Shire who had a regular thirst and interest in being updated about the daily happenings of their region.

Who makes up the editorial team?
Sam and Sarah Cullen founded Newsport and they remain publishers of the business to this day. Michael Warren sits as full-time editor, while the team consists of a number of wonderful freelance journalists, including Jamie Jansen, Paul Makin and David Gardiner.

What role does Newsport play in the Douglas Shire region?
As the region’s main media outlet, it serves a critical role across the Shire. Our large readership turns to us every single day of the week for their breaking news, sports news, and range of stories we consistently deliver. Our job is to deliver stories and news that reflect the interests of our readers and community. It’s critical we’re on the pulse with what’s happening across our Shire so we can publish news, accurately and timely.

Our job is to inform and engage our readers and to keep places like local Council accountable for the decisions they make. We’re the trusted voice of the community and we take our role and responsibilities very seriously.

What are the topics your team is interested in covering?
As a newsroom we cover a range of rounds you’d expect from a daily news business. Whether it’s breaking news, sport, crime, Council, entertainment, business, real estate, tourism, briefs, health, schools, seniors - we’ve got the Shire covered. We also file business features which takes a deeper look into local businesses and events.

Do you have any tips for PRs looking to work with you?
Yes. Keep your media releases short, succinct and straight to the point. I’d recommend knowing the business and what we’re about before sending your release. I’d suggest 95 percent of releases I receive get instantly deleted, because the PR person doesn’t know our product, hasn’t cared to look at what we do and is just hoping we’ll run their information. Or they’ve sent the same release to 1,000 other outlets, which is lazy.

If I know a release has been tailored specifically for us, then there is a high chance I’ll run it. But if it’s generic with no local flavour or angle, it’s an instant delete. Get to know the stories we cover, why we cover them and how we cover them and you’re more likely to get coverage.